GMOA on strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 December 1999, 11:26 GMT]Government Medical officers have gone on strike from this afternoon, protesting at the Government's decision to bring medical services under the provincial health ministries.

Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) vows to continue with their strike until the government meets their demands and brings Medical services under the central government.

Sources said Out Patients Departments (OPD) at the Government hospitals have been paralysed from this afternoon, and only emergency cases are being attended.

However, Tamil Medical officers at the Batticaloa hospital say they will not take part in the strike. A Tamil doctor at the hospital said they have a moral obligation to help the people in the region that outweighs a fight for their rights with their trade union. Sources said the Sinhala doctors at the hospital have asked their Tamil colleges to strike.

Meanwhile the GMOA said they have asked the Health Ministry to take measures to transport medical officers serving in Jaffna to south of the island for security reasons.

The association said the fighting has intensified in the northern peninsula during the past few days and that they have also contacted the ICRC and the Ministry of Defence.